Automobile headlight



May 114, 1929- H. o. WOODRUFF x 1,713,157

AUTOMOBILE HEADLI GHT Filed oct. 26,v 1926 2 sheets-sheet. 1

May 14, 1929- H. o. WOODRUFF AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHT Filed Oct. 26, 1926 2 SheeLS-Sheel 2 H. 0, foadr @Hoz naw Patented May 14, 1929'.

UNITED STATES N1,713,151 PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD- OTIS WOODRUFF, F BROWNVILLE, NEW YORK.

A'UY'TOMOBILE HEADLIGHT.

Application led October 26, 1926. Serial No. 144,280.

lo one of the headlights is not burning.

This invention has for one of its objects to effect 'the brilliant illumination of the roadwa in advance of an automobile bythe use of ut a single headlight having but a l single source of illumination, and to attain this end the invention comprehends the employment of a headlight adapted to reflect a wide beam of light which will illuminate the center as well as the sides of the rdadway.

A. further object of the invention is the provision of a headlight which will reflect a beamof light which will appear to the driver of an oncoming automobile 1to be greater in width than it actually is, whereby to compel 5 such driver to give to the other at least half of the roadway. Y

A further object of the invention is the provision of a headli ht wherein the source of illumination may e readily and quickly focused without the aid of a screwdriver or other tool.

A still further object of the 'inventiony is the provision of a headlight of the character stated which shall be simple and can be readily secured in lace, and which will be attractive and adll tothe appearance of the i automobile. l v

With the foregoing an'd other objects in View, the invention consists of the novel conparts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated .in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Y

Figure 1 is an elevational view illustrating the application ofthe headlight to an automobile,

Fi re 2 is a detailtop plan view of the head ight, v

Figure 3 =is a sectional view taken on the vertical planes indicated by the line 3 3 of Fi ure 1, 4

igure 4 is a sectional View taken on the vertical plane indicated by the line 4 4 of Fiv ure 1,

igure 5 is a sectional view taken on a 'scale taken on the struction, combination and arrangement ofv horizontal plane extending longitudinally and centrally -through the headlight,

Figure 6 is` a view in front elevation of the headlight with the lens and lens retaining member removed,

Figure 7 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale illustratin the manner in which the solrce of illumination is secured in place, an

- Figure 8 is a sectional view on an enlarged plane indicated by the line 8 8 of Figure 3.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and designated in the several views of the accompanying drawings, byl similar reference characters.

In the drawings, 1 designates thel front wheels, 2 lthe front fenders, .3 the fender aprons and 4 the radiator of an automobile.

The headlight is adapted to be secured to and between the fender aprons 3 by brackets 5. It is of elliptical formation in plan, and is long enough to extend from one of the fender aprons 3 to the other. The headlight 80 comprises a casing 6, reflector 7, lens 8 and lens retaining member 9. The casing 6 is provided at its front ed e with relatively spaced lugs 10 having t readed lopenings and at its rear side with relatively spaced lugs 11 having threaded sockets. The reflector 7 is provided at its front edge withv an outturned flange 12 which rests against the front edge of the 'casing 6, and is secured inplace by machine screws 1 3' passing through its flange and engaging the lugs 10 and screws 14 passing through itsrear'side and engagingI the lugs 11. A gasket 15 is positioned between tle lens 8 and flange 12, and the member 9 may besecu'red to the vcasing 6 in any well known or appropriate manner. The lsource of illumination for the headlight consists of an incandescent electric lamp 16 which embodies an elongated tube 17 p'rovided at its ends with studs'18, and la- 100 ments 19 which are arranged within the tube as shown and supported by lugs 19l constituting parts of the tube. ,The ends ofthe [lilaments 19 are disposed in the studs `18. Those ends of the filaments located in one of the 105 studs 18. are grounded to the reflector 7, and those ends of the filamentlocated in the other stud are adapted to be connected to the source of current. Sockets 20 are secured to the rear side of the reflector 7 as at 20, and are inter- 110 nally screw threaded for the reception O1 the screw threaded portions of sockets 21. The socket 21 receive the studs 18 of the lamp 16,

sockets. The front or free ends of the springs Y 22 are laterallyv deiected to permit the rea insertion of the studs 18`into the sockets 21. lThe studs 18 are provided with cylindrical Vportions 23 which it in the sockets 21 against the bases 24 of the latter and with ywhich the springs 22 contact. At the rear sides of their portions 23, the studs 18 areprovided with conical extensions 25 which are provided with spherical terminals 25. The extensions 25 occupy recesses 26 in the bases 24; of the sockets 21, and together withtheir spherical terminals252 are engaged by clamps 27 which are secured within the recesses 26 and are similar in contour to the extensions and their terminals. The clamps 27 assist the springs 22 to retain the studs Within the sockets 21T The sockets 20 carry conductor pins 28,which pass through openings in the bases 24 of the sockets 21 andcontact with the clamps 27. The conductor pins 28 have a sliding fit in the o enings of the sockets 21 and are yieldingly eld in contact with the clamps 27 by expansion springs 29. One of the pins 28 is grounded to the reflector 7 and the other'has connected thereto a lead 30 which in turn is connected to the contact 31 of a socket 32.

The socket 32 is secured to and within the casing' 6 as'at 33, and is adapted to receive a plug 34 through which a lead 35 passes. The lead 35 is secured to the plug 34: by a screw 36 which also segures/to the plug a spring. contact 37 bearing against the contact 31. A

flexible sheath 3,8'or the lead 35 has One of its ends secured within the plug 34 by a set screw 39. v

In practice, the lead 35 is connected to one terminal of the battery of the automobile. Current flows from the battery through the lead 35, contacts 37 and 31, lead 30, one of the pins 28 and one of the clamps 27 to the adjaclamp arev merely illustrative and cent ends of the filaments 19. The current passes through the filaments 19 to the other 27 and pin 28, and thence back to the batteryby way of the frame of the automobile. As the casing 6, reflector 7 and lamp 16 are of elongated formation and extend in a horizontal direction across the front of the automobile, the beam of light emanating from the headlight will be wide and suiiiciently wide to'brilliantly illuminate the middle as Well as the sides Of'the road. By removing the retaining member 9 and lens 8 and by turning the sockets 21 forwardly or rearwardly with -respectto the sockets 20, the lamp 16 may be readily adjusted into the focal center of the reflector 7. The springs 22 and clamps 27 render it impossible for the lamp. 1,6 to become accidentally detached from the sockets 21, While permitting it to be readily connected th'ereto or disconnected therefrom. As the pins 28 are slidably associated with the sockets v2 1 and as they are constantly urged in the direction of the clamps 27 by the springs 29, an electrical connection is maintained between the lamp 16 and the storage battery in any position of the former.

It should be understood that the drawings do not pretend tO give exact proportions. Furthermore, the said drawings are illustrative of a preferred construction, it being my expectation that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. j What is claimed is A headlighthaving sockets, other sockets adjustably connected to said first sockets and provided in theirbases with recesses, a lamp provided with Studs yiitting in the adjustable sockets .and having extensions fitting in the recesses of said sockets, springs carried by the adjustable Sockets and contacting with the studs, clam s secured within the recesses of the adjustable sockets and engaging the ex-` tensions, and yielding conductor pins carried by Said first sockets and electrically connectedl with the clamps.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HAROLD O'rIs WOODRUFF. 

